Explore Northern Ireland

Rathlin Island

Rathlin Island has some of the most breath-taking scenery anywhere in Ireland or Britain. It offers unspoilt environments and is renowned for its wildlife, particularly its seabird breeding colonies and seals. The ferry to Rathlin Island travels just six miles across the Sea of Moyle. This island is six miles long, one-mile-wide, and home to a slowly increasing population of around 140 people.

Many tales of myth and mystery surround Rathlin; perhaps the most famous tells of Robert the Bruce. In 1306, the Scottish King was driven from Scotland by Edward I of England and took refuge on Rathlin where he watched a spider persevering again and again to bridge a gap with its web. Eventually it succeeded. Taking heart from the spider's efforts, he returned to Scotland and eventually regained his crown.